The Food and Drink Federation (FDF) has called on the government to create “a new sector deal” for UK food and drink manufacturers, to exploit export growth opportunities that are expected after Brexit.

The food and drink industry is “a genuine superpower” but must lobby government with a unified voice over Brexit to make that power felt, Food and Drink Federation (FDF) president Gavin Darby told the FDF’s Food and Drink Industry Dinner.

The Food and Drink Federation’s (FDF’s) new president elect, Premier Foods’s ceo Gavin Darby, has named his top twin priorities as helping to remedy the nation’s obesity epidemic and ensuring the sector has a “strong plan” to thrive after Brexit.

A dedicated food and drink manufacturing council – tasked with improving communication and co-operation between the government and industry – tops the wishlist of the Food and Drink Federation (FDF) from the next government, ahead of next week’s general...